I took my niece this year and it was her first Coachella. It was so fun to see it through her eyes. She thought it felt like a magical scene from Shreck. The one where all the fairy tale creatures meet for the first time in Shreck's swamp.

Re: Bjork is back (with a 30ft pendulum)

Björk has always been the epitome of creativity in all that she does. Whether through her eye-catching wardrobe choices or her almost entirely a capella album Medúlla, she’s continually been at the forefront of the intersection of style, technology, and music since her debut. Continuing her M.O. as an innovator, her latest endeavor, Biophilia, will see the Icelandic songbird adapt the technology of the iPad into a truly sonic experience that pushes the boundaries of what truly makes an album.

Björk’s recently redesigned webpage will serve as a springboard for the all-app album, a first in the music biz. And while the release will see traditional formats, the true innovation lies in the apps themselves. As it’s a massive undertaking, the album will be released as a core app with each of the 10 album tracks individually getting their own app.

Along with the songs, the LP will feature a number of interactive video elements. According to the Guardian, the song “Virus” tells the tale of a battle between a cell and a virus as soundtracked by the beeps, strings, and docile tones of Björk. The album and live presentation will also showcase custom organs created by Icelandic organ crafter Björgvin Tómasson that allow for MIDI integration (thus, according to Tómasson, leading to the creation of a new instrument, the “gameleste”). In fitting with the reinvention a 100-year-old instrument, the notion for the project developed from the dichotomy that modern Iceland strikes in the balance of the organic side of nature and history versus the modern conveniences of technology.

“In Iceland, everything revolves around nature, 24 hours a day,” she told Oor magazine in 1997. “Earthquakes, snowstorms, rain, ice, volcanic eruptions, geysers … very elementary and uncontrollable. But on the other hand, Iceland is incredibly modern; everything is hi-tech.”

With the release schedule and functions of each of the apps, the project allows for more personalized interactions in order to create a unique user experience that will grow and change as features are introduced and expanded. The point of the endeavor, according to interactive artist Scott Snibe, who produced the app, is to integrate the various visual and auditory aspects into one larger experience.

“Björk’s put herself way at the forefront here by saying, ‘We’ll release this album and these apps at the same time and they’re all part of the same story,’ “Snippe said. “The app is an expression of the music, the story and the idea.”

Björk’s vision will come to fruition later this year with a live multimedia showcase taking residence at Campfield Market Hall in Manchester, UK, with the full itinerary below. Biophilia is scheduled to be released sometime in 2011.

Re: Bjork is back (with a 30ft pendulum)

I admire Bjork on some level for creatively utilizing the medium of the moment, but there's something very disposable feeling about integrating pop tech into your album release. She's sort of guaranteeing her project an expiration date and loss of novelty.

Re: Bjork is back (with a 30ft pendulum)

Re: Bjork is back (with a 30ft pendulum)

Originally Posted by Hannahrain

I admire Bjork on some level for creatively utilizing the medium of the moment, but there's something very disposable feeling about integrating pop tech into your album release. She's sort of guaranteeing her project an expiration date and loss of novelty.

Post was initially released on CD, cassette, vinyl and minidisc. In addition, Post was available for a limited time in the UK and Europe as a digipack with an extended lyric booklet and poster, or as a digipack contained in a clear PVC wallet (with a strap to carry it). The album was released for a limited time in the UK as a cassette in similar packaging. Post was also available for a limited time on pink vinyl. In 2000, the album was made available on 180g heavyweight vinyl and in 2008, One Little Indian reissued the album on DMM 200g heavyweight vinyl. In the same year, Post was made available on CD as a vinyl replica. The album was re-released in 2006 as a DualDisc including new DTS 96/24 5.1-channel surround sound mixes and the album's music videos, available separately or as part of the (____surrounded): box set.

Re: Bjork is back (with a 30ft pendulum)

Okay, Ryan. But sifting through touchscreen libraries of Boobs 4 Ur iPhone Free! and Angry Birds Haiti to find a download that's supposed to let me feel more connected to the music I'm hearing is still going to feel cheap and ephemeral just like everything else that happens on a hubristic telephone. I don't want to be plugged in. I don't want to be a pirate.